Life is full of risks. Now, enter the art fair.
Can we get into enough art fairs?
Can we stay healthy to make our art?
Can we keep our art appealing to the public?
Can we make it safely on the road to the art fair not getting hit by a texter, drunk or having a tire blow out?
Can our van make it to the show without breaking down?
Can we sell enough at the show to make a profit?
Can the weather co-operate?
Can we not have an event such as a mass killing, election or sniper at the time of the show?
Now the risk we should not experience is the event not doing their job. We pay for this. Our livelihood is in their hands. They have a large responsibility and are paid for this. We rely on the car mechanic to tighten the lug nuts. We count on the doctor giving us the correct medicine. We count on the contractor to make our house meet code. If these people fail our trust, we can die and if we don’t, we sure and the hell can sue.
We count on the event to advertise, provide security and sanitation, have a good layout, enforce the rules, fair judging and juring and much more.
Remember. We pay them for this. It is their responsibility. Our livelihood depends on them. They do not do the show for our charity. They do it for their goals. The show not doing their job is a risk we should not have to bear.
Many artists have forgotten that we are the customers. We give them excuses when they do not do their job. Oh, it’s not their fault for the color run, the lack of advertising, the poor judging, the not enforcing of the rules. They are only human. Bull $4!+. 99% of the things that go wrong at an art fair would not happen if the art fairs were doing the job we paid them to do.
Sorry to be a pessimist, but I do not see things getting better. The shows see us as disposable and we give them this power. If I am at a show and poor management causes problems and affect a group of artists but not myself, I remember I was lucky, missed the risk. Next year it could be I spending a thousand dollars in expenses and losing my ass. No application fee from me next year even if I made money. Sadly, the show will survive.
A sniper is on a roof and randomly shoots into the crowd. We are the crowd but are not running away from the kill zone. Hell, we don’t even call the police. In fact we taunt the sniper to shoot at us again and again. Some of us will even say it’s not the sniper’s fault, bad childhood or some other crap. Anyway, sorry for the sniper analogy, it just seems to fit.
Life is full of risks. Don’t stand still for the sniper. |
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Comments
Barbara, as you note, there are only a few good shows . Most are mediocre and worse. (This depends are what you're selling of course. There are a lot more venues for lower end craft than there are for higher end art.) So, because there are so few good shows, it really isn't viable to just "move on to another" show. We are running out of good shows to move on to.
Thats why I believe it's important to have a more proactive approach, both individually and maybe collectively through a group like NAIA. A forum like this, if we choose to make use of it, can act as collective voice also.
Many, if not most, shows operate with the attitude that they are doing just fine as long as they keep getting more applicants than they have spaces. Are they really paying attention to whether the artists are making enough money? Increasingly, I believe more and more artists at shows are retirees or have a second job and shows are a way to possible make a little extra dough. It's becoming increasingly tough to make it professionally these days.
If a shows priority is to bring in massive crowds for their sponsors instead of marketing their show to art buyers, they are not doing their job for us and need to called on it. Moving on to another show will not solve the problem. If a show has a poor layout where many artists (sometimes the first time exhibitors) are put in locations doomed to failure, they need to be called on it. Same for poor security. If a show is not doing their diligence to keep out buy/sell, they need to be held responsible.
Many shows, I believe, will accept help from artists to improve their shows. Those are the ones we need to focus on. Many others, I believe, couldn't care less, as epitomized by some promoter shows which saturate metropolitan areas, and entire states, with so many redundant shows that mediocrity is the best we can hope for. The business plan of saturating the market with more and more shows is big money for promoters, and disaster for professional artists.
But, back to my main point. The trend does not look good for professional artists at art shows (particularly those with original work at the higher end). If we want a long term chance at making a living at these shows, we are going to have to proactively help and persuade shows to do better.
Of course we artists would like the shows to be better. There are a few good shows out there (in a rather vast sea of mediocrity) and it's up to us to find the gems. (With the caveat that one artist's gem is often another's dog.) We're doing our best with what we've got. We're making the best art we are capable of. We're applying to the best shows that we know about, or at least the ones we think we can get into (always looking to improve and get into the better ones). If we don't get the sales we need at one show, we move on to another. That's about all we can do, realistically. I don't see this as "passive acceptance" but just doing what we can.
Perfectly stated Geri.
Richard, you don't get it--you shouldn't have to do a show with a poor lay-out, advertising and b/s. Why should you have to live up to the terms of the agreement but the promoter does not?. You could have picked a different show that weekend and possibly made $10k with a promoter who did everything as promised.
I truly do not understand the passive acceptance by so many artists of how they allow themselves to be taken advantage of and for granted. Why do so few want to make art festivals better for everyone? I am buying less and less because I am finding fewer and fewer good artists at festivals. As a patron I am finding art festivals less enjoyable to go to because of the poor art, loud music and commercial vendors yelling at me as I walk past.
It is very very sad.
The life of an artist is not easy. There are a lot of variables that can wreak havoc or a happy ending. It is amazing so many artists don't give up. They are a tough group of people, that is for sure.Safe travels for you tomorrow, Richard.
Richard, maybe a better way to put it is that you are a niche artist, based on who you said your customers are.
Remember the belt buckle guy that was discussed a few months ago? How would you like him a few booths down from you with his cheaply manufactured buckles? Sadly a lot of customers are not going to notice, as you did, the poor quality of the leather and the cutting of the belts. And he is drawing younger customers away from your booth because those buckles are really cool looking. You would be scratching your head, wondering how the promoter let them in because the quality is poor and each buckle was supposed to be hand made.
Or, you venture to a new town, no mailing list to send out cards to customers that you will be in the area. No problem, the promoter promised radio, tv and newspaper advertising so the locals will know there is a show. Gorgeous day, crowds are sparse and the comment you most often hear is--we didn't know there was a show until we saw it. (lack of signs on your route in gave you a hint).
You pay your jury fee and your booth fee with the expectation of value received for what you are paying (like we patrons expect from the artists). The risks you expect are--bad weather, the people not liking your work. You don't expect--competition from buy/sell, poor advertising so crowds are poor, or a booth that people can't see because of a poor layout. There are acceptable risks and then there are unacceptable risks. Issues that arise because of a bad promoter or director are unacceptable. As a good businessman, do you not agree?
Richard, I don't know what the breakdown of sales is between your saddles, belts, tack etc but some of those items, especially the saddles, are sold to a clientele that was not as effected by the economy as others. You also have highly stylized items that may not sell as well if you decided to sell them in Ohio or South Florida. Based on your schedule you stay in Colorado which is a market that is ripe for what you are selling. You are lucky that there are enough venues for you to stay closer to home.
I don't know how many shows you apply to in order to fill out your schedule but I know a lot of artists that apply to over 50 shows and the increasing app fees in a time of slowing sales does hurt the average artist. And, Zapp and other online services were supposed to hold down the cost of fees because processing costs were going to be lower but then the shows realized that they had a cash generator in app fees and have raised fees each year since the inception.
And speaking of risks, where are the risks for the show promoters? They know how much money they need so they can go out and get more sponsors or allow more booths in a show to raise the money they need. Artists cannot do that. That is why when a promoter does not do all they promise to do, it is the artist that is hurt. And also, I see nothing wrong with expecting a promoter to give their "all" when they expect the same from the artist.
(and your flasks are really cool)
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